1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a secondary battery (rechargeable battery) charging method and apparatus compatible with a plurality of types of secondary batteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a secondary battery charging apparatus, in which, when some abnormality is detected during charging, the charging being performed is stopped or the limitation value of charging current is changed, has been known.
More specifically, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-252808, there is a secondary battery charging apparatus in which, when an abnormal cooling occurs, charging/discharging electrical power is changed according to the cooling performance difference between an abnormal cooling state and a normal cooling state.
However, in the above-described conventional secondary battery charging apparatus, an operation for changing the charging/discharging electrical power is performed after some abnormality occurs in the charging operation. Although security can be ensured, when the influence upon the apparatus is considered, it is preferable that an occurrence of an abnormality be predicted before an abnormality occurs, and countermeasures be performed.